DeadlyDynasty
01-16-2012, 05:38 PM
Good read.
http://www.rantsports.com/courtcrusades/2012/01/12/who-are-the-top-10-players-in-the-nba-right-now/
This is a list of the top 10 players in the NBA through the first two and a half weeks of the 2011-2012 season. The following list has nothing to do with last season’s accomplishments or where these players will be a month from now.
10. Andrea Bargnani, Toronto
2011 Stats: 11 games played, 22.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
Andrea Bargnani is easily one of the biggest surprises so far this NBA season. Toronto has a record of 4-6 but Bargnani has done his part to keep the Raptors in games. He has been trying to live up to his number one overall pick status but has failed to do so the last few seasons. Bargnani has been very good on offense but needs to improve his defensive skills.
9. Monta Ellis, Golden State
2011 Stats: 8 games played, 23.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
Monta Ellis continues to impress basketball experts and fans this season after his breakout year. Ellis is fifth in the NBA in points per game but unfortunately his team is not sharing in the same spotlight. The Warriors are 3-6 and third from last in the Western Conference which does not bode well for a team with high expectations coming into this season. Injuries have not been kind to Ellis in his career but as long as he can stay healthy he should remain on this list for a majority of the season.
8. Dwight Howard, Orlando
2011 Stats: 10 games played, 18.0 points, 14.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Dwight Howard is trying to build off of his phenomenal offensive season last year. He must be productive in every game for the Orlando Magic to have a good season that ends with another trip to the playoffs. Currently the Magic are sitting at 6-3 but it isn’t the team’s record that has most fans worried. Rumors continue to swirl after Howard spoke publicly about being traded. Until that time comes he is still with the Magic and they still need him to be an offensive machine.
7. Kevin Love, Minnesota
2011 Stats: 10 games played, 23.6 points, 14.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Everyone knew Kevin Love was going to be successful in the NBA but he is still one of the biggest surprises this season. He ranks second in the league in rebounds and seventh in points per game. The Minnesota Timberwolves may not be very good right now as they sit at the bottom of the Western Conference at 3-7 but with Love and rookie Ricky Rubio, the team has a very bright future. Love opened the season with nine straight double-doubles and doesn’t show any sign of slowing down.
6. Dwyane Wade, Miami
2011 Stats: 8 games played, 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.
Dwyane Wade has missed three games due to a left foot injury but still has good statistics this season. The Heat are 8-2 and continuing their dominance from where they left off last year. The team is playing well together even when members of the “Big Three” have missed games. As long as Wade can stay healthy he will be a big part in the Heat making another playoff run.
5. Carmelo Anthony, New York
2011 Stats: 10 games played, 26.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Carmelo Anthony is off to one of the best starts of his career and clearly enjoys playing in the Big Apple. The Knicks have struggled to start the season off but that is not because of a lack of play by Anthony. New York is currently 5-4 and seventh in the Eastern Conference. With how good Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire are playing so far this year the Knicks shouldn’t be down for long.
4. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City
2011 Stats: 12 games played, 25.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
Kevin Durant continues to dominate opposing teams night after night as he sets himself up to be one of the best players in the NBA for a long time. He has the Oklahoma City Thunder in first place in the Western Conference with a two-game lead over the Portland Trail Blazers. Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden bring a lot of talent to Oklahoma City as they are primed to make a deep playoff run. Durant is beginning to take games over on a nightly basis and when he is able to do that consistently there might be no stopping the Thunder.
3. Derrick Rose, Chicago
2011 Stats: 11 games played, 20.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game.
Last year’s MVP has been off to a good start this season and has the Chicago Bulls tied for the best record in the NBA at 9-2. Rose is one of the best players in the league at taking over games late as he has already proven several times this season. His numbers will only get better as the season progresses and the Bulls should continue to win as long as the team gets production from its starters.
2. LeBron James, Miami
2011 Stats: 10 games played, 29.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
LeBron James continues to be one of the best players in the league and is still able to put up very good numbers despite playing with two other superstars. James is second in the league in points per game which is a good indication why Miami is first with 108.1. He deserves a lot of the credit for the Heat’s success so far this season and there is no question he is one of the best players in the NBA right now. James will have to remain playing at a high-level in order for Miami to flourish as the season wears on, especially if Wade’s injuries continue to build up.
1. Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers
2011 Stats: 12 games played, 30.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.
At age 33, Kobe Bryant has better numbers than Michael Jordan did at the same age through the first twelve games of the season. Kobe Bryant is also the only player in at least his 16th season to put up 48 points or more in a game, which is what he did two nights ago against the Phoenix Suns. Bryant is first in the NBA in total points (364) and first in points per game. Bryant continues to amaze as it seems the only person that can stop him is himself. A wrist injury had some people questioning whether he would be able to play but after the 48-point performance there is no doubt he can.
Hard to argue with any of that.
http://www.rantsports.com/courtcrusades/2012/01/12/who-are-the-top-10-players-in-the-nba-right-now/
This is a list of the top 10 players in the NBA through the first two and a half weeks of the 2011-2012 season. The following list has nothing to do with last season’s accomplishments or where these players will be a month from now.
10. Andrea Bargnani, Toronto
2011 Stats: 11 games played, 22.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
Andrea Bargnani is easily one of the biggest surprises so far this NBA season. Toronto has a record of 4-6 but Bargnani has done his part to keep the Raptors in games. He has been trying to live up to his number one overall pick status but has failed to do so the last few seasons. Bargnani has been very good on offense but needs to improve his defensive skills.
9. Monta Ellis, Golden State
2011 Stats: 8 games played, 23.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
Monta Ellis continues to impress basketball experts and fans this season after his breakout year. Ellis is fifth in the NBA in points per game but unfortunately his team is not sharing in the same spotlight. The Warriors are 3-6 and third from last in the Western Conference which does not bode well for a team with high expectations coming into this season. Injuries have not been kind to Ellis in his career but as long as he can stay healthy he should remain on this list for a majority of the season.
8. Dwight Howard, Orlando
2011 Stats: 10 games played, 18.0 points, 14.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Dwight Howard is trying to build off of his phenomenal offensive season last year. He must be productive in every game for the Orlando Magic to have a good season that ends with another trip to the playoffs. Currently the Magic are sitting at 6-3 but it isn’t the team’s record that has most fans worried. Rumors continue to swirl after Howard spoke publicly about being traded. Until that time comes he is still with the Magic and they still need him to be an offensive machine.
7. Kevin Love, Minnesota
2011 Stats: 10 games played, 23.6 points, 14.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Everyone knew Kevin Love was going to be successful in the NBA but he is still one of the biggest surprises this season. He ranks second in the league in rebounds and seventh in points per game. The Minnesota Timberwolves may not be very good right now as they sit at the bottom of the Western Conference at 3-7 but with Love and rookie Ricky Rubio, the team has a very bright future. Love opened the season with nine straight double-doubles and doesn’t show any sign of slowing down.
6. Dwyane Wade, Miami
2011 Stats: 8 games played, 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.
Dwyane Wade has missed three games due to a left foot injury but still has good statistics this season. The Heat are 8-2 and continuing their dominance from where they left off last year. The team is playing well together even when members of the “Big Three” have missed games. As long as Wade can stay healthy he will be a big part in the Heat making another playoff run.
5. Carmelo Anthony, New York
2011 Stats: 10 games played, 26.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Carmelo Anthony is off to one of the best starts of his career and clearly enjoys playing in the Big Apple. The Knicks have struggled to start the season off but that is not because of a lack of play by Anthony. New York is currently 5-4 and seventh in the Eastern Conference. With how good Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire are playing so far this year the Knicks shouldn’t be down for long.
4. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City
2011 Stats: 12 games played, 25.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
Kevin Durant continues to dominate opposing teams night after night as he sets himself up to be one of the best players in the NBA for a long time. He has the Oklahoma City Thunder in first place in the Western Conference with a two-game lead over the Portland Trail Blazers. Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden bring a lot of talent to Oklahoma City as they are primed to make a deep playoff run. Durant is beginning to take games over on a nightly basis and when he is able to do that consistently there might be no stopping the Thunder.
3. Derrick Rose, Chicago
2011 Stats: 11 games played, 20.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game.
Last year’s MVP has been off to a good start this season and has the Chicago Bulls tied for the best record in the NBA at 9-2. Rose is one of the best players in the league at taking over games late as he has already proven several times this season. His numbers will only get better as the season progresses and the Bulls should continue to win as long as the team gets production from its starters.
2. LeBron James, Miami
2011 Stats: 10 games played, 29.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
LeBron James continues to be one of the best players in the league and is still able to put up very good numbers despite playing with two other superstars. James is second in the league in points per game which is a good indication why Miami is first with 108.1. He deserves a lot of the credit for the Heat’s success so far this season and there is no question he is one of the best players in the NBA right now. James will have to remain playing at a high-level in order for Miami to flourish as the season wears on, especially if Wade’s injuries continue to build up.
1. Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers
2011 Stats: 12 games played, 30.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.
At age 33, Kobe Bryant has better numbers than Michael Jordan did at the same age through the first twelve games of the season. Kobe Bryant is also the only player in at least his 16th season to put up 48 points or more in a game, which is what he did two nights ago against the Phoenix Suns. Bryant is first in the NBA in total points (364) and first in points per game. Bryant continues to amaze as it seems the only person that can stop him is himself. A wrist injury had some people questioning whether he would be able to play but after the 48-point performance there is no doubt he can.
Hard to argue with any of that.